Monumental Guardian Lions Pair — Tibetan / Sino-Tibetan Temple Protectors, Gilt Bronze with Cinnabar Lacquer, Qing Style (Pair 54.5 kg)

What you are looking at

This offering presents a matched pair of guardian lions traditionally positioned as sentinels. In Buddhist and wider East Asian visual culture, such lions act as guardians of sanctuaries, gates, and sacred precincts—symbols of courage, vigilance, and righteous force. The sculptural language here leans into theatrical temple presence: bulging eyes, deeply worked manes, and an expressive snarl, heightened by gilt and red pigment that catches light like ember.

Symbolism & iconography

• Guardianship: Lions are a classic emblem of protective authority and the “lion’s roar” of the Dharma—strength that defends what is precious.
• Threshold ritual: A pair implies directional balance—protection for both “entering” and “leaving,” the visible sealing of a boundary.
• Red & gold: Cinnabar tones read as vitality and ritual intensity; gilt reads as sanctified radiance—light made material.

Material & finish

• Base: cast bronze / metalwork, with a richly aged surface and hand-applied patination.
• Gilt surface: gold-toned areas suggest gilding or gilt-style treatment intended to read as sacred luminosity.
• Red lacquer / pigment accents: vivid red consistent with cinnabar-style lacquer/pigment used to heighten ritual presence.
• Carving detail: high-relief textures in mane, claws, and musculature made for visibility at a distance.

Period & attribution

The listing presents a Qing-era / Qing-style classification with Tibetan old-temple provenance language. Without physical examination, we treat period as an informed possibility rather than a guarantee. What can be stated confidently from the presentation: the pair is executed in a mature, traditional guardian-lion idiom and finished to read as a sacred display object rather than a contemporary decorative novelty. The combination of gilt-style radiance, cinnabar-red ritual emphasis, and forcefully modeled features suggests a work made to perform visually in a shrine or ceremonial interior. If you can secure close-ups of the underside, joins, and any casting marks or inscriptions, we can tighten dating language and classification with greater precision.

Condition

Overall presentation is strong and photogenic. Expect age-related wear consistent with a heavy display object: surface rubs, patina variation, minor abrasions, and localized losses to gilt/pigment possible. Please review all photos for exact condition.

Dimensions & weight

• Approx. size per figure: 52 cm (H) × 58 cm (D) × 33 cm (W)
• Total pair weight: approx. 54.5 kg

Collector relevance

This pair is for the collector who wants the “entry gallery” moment: a threshold statement that immediately frames a room as a shrine-like space. It also suits staging for high-end interiors, boutique hotel vignettes, or a private archive display where sculptural power matters more than delicate porcelain refinement.

Collector’s Resonance

If your collecting taste is drawn to protectors—objects that feel like they have a job—these lions will resonate. They have the gravity of a ritual presence: not cute, not ornamental, but assertive. For collectors building an altar room, a sword-and-armor study, or a museum-like cabinet of sacred guardians, this pair is a true anchor.

Confidence & Verification Notes

• Period: “Qing / Qing style” is treated as an attribution; dynasty dating is not guaranteed without documentation.
• Finish: gilt and cinnabar-style finishing is visually apparent; exact method (true gilding vs gilt-style finish) should be confirmed by close inspection.
• Provenance: “old collection / temple” language is described as reported unless supported by paperwork.

HS code decision block

• Option A (documented antique over 100 years): HS 9706 or HS 9703 depending on customs practice.
• Option B (non-antique metal statuary): HS 8306.

Shipping intelligence

Heavy pair: approx. 54.5 kg net. Expect freight-style handling and protective packing.

• Safe packed weight (double box / foam / bracing): ~62–70 kg
• Crated (recommended for maximum safety): ~75–90 kg

• DHL / FedEx / UPS Heavy (where accepted): 5–10 business days (premium).
• Air cargo / freight forwarding: 7–14 days airport-to-airport + final domestic leg.
• Sea freight (economy): 4–10 weeks depending on routing.
• Indicative landing costs (estimate): $2350~$3000
• Domestic Japan leg 

Cargo Shipping & Handling Notice

Due to the final packaged weight and/or dimensional requirements of this piece, standard parcel services such as Japan Post EMS, DHL, FedEx, or UPS are not applicable. This item will be shipped via cargo or freight-based shipping methods.

Cargo shipments require additional preparation time to ensure proper handling, which may include custom crating, reinforced packing, coordination with domestic logistics providers, and scheduling with international freight consolidators and export brokers. As a result, estimated delivery timelines typically range from 6 to 10 weeks, depending on routing, carrier availability, and customs clearance procedures in the destination country.

Please note that actual shipping costs may differ from automated shipping calculator estimates. By default, a portion of the expected shipping cost may be reflected in the listing price. Any difference or discrepancy will be quoted separately once destination, delivery method, and handling requirements are confirmed.

We kindly ask that collectors contact us prior to purchase to request an exact, customized shipping quotation for their destination. This ensures full transparency and allows us to arrange the most appropriate, secure, and efficient shipping solution for this piece.

Thank you for your understanding and patience as we take the necessary care to deliver this work safely.

Internal reading

Explore related archive pages: Buddhist Statues & Sacred Art • Guardian Lions (Shishi / Komainu) • Why Collect Buddhist Sculpture